Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah

Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah is a Ghanaian career diplomat who serves as the African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, one of the most senior positions within the continental body's executive leadership. She was elected to the role during the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in February 2025, bringing to the office decades of experience in multilateral diplomacy and foreign service.

Born Amma Adomaa Twum, she studied at the University of Cape Coast and later at the University of Oxford, an academic path that prepared her for a long career representing Ghana on the international stage. Her professional life has been defined by a series of postings that placed her at the intersection of trade, economic policy and diplomacy, and she has built a reputation as a measured and capable representative of Ghanaian and African interests.

Before her election to the AU Commission, Twum-Amoah served as Ghana's Ambassador to Ethiopia with concurrent accreditation to Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and South Sudan, and as Permanent Representative to both the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. In that capacity she operated at the heart of continental diplomacy in Addis Ababa. Earlier she directed the Economic, Trade and Investment Bureau at Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, and held several positions at the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington, D.C., including Minister Plenipotentiary and acting head of mission.

Her diplomatic footprint has extended across continents. From October 2005 to February 2006 she served as Minister-Counsellor and acting High Commissioner at Ghana's High Commission in Canberra, where she oversaw the reopening of the country's mission in Australia. These assignments gave her broad exposure to the machinery of foreign policy, from bilateral relations to the complex negotiations of multilateral institutions.

In her AU role Twum-Amoah now oversees a portfolio that touches some of the continent's most pressing challenges, from public health emergencies and pandemic preparedness to humanitarian response and social development. She has used early speeches and opening statements to underline the Commission's commitment to strengthening health systems and protecting vulnerable populations across member states. Her elevation reflects both Ghana's standing within the African Union and her own long service, and she continues to represent the continent's ambitions for a healthier and more resilient Africa.